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Throwback Thursday to last Thursday when I visited GPS IIF-11 and the Atlas V 401 rocket at SLC-41. The graceful symmetry of the Starliner Crew Access Tower, Mobile launcher and Atlas V particularly caught my eye. Launch successfully occurred two days later on 31 October.
GPS IIF-11 deployed in orbit! Mission Success! Three hours and 23 minutes after Saturday’s launch the GPS IIF-11 satellite separated from the Centaur upper stage. Spacecraft separation marks the official end of a launch as the payload is now flying freely and under its own power. Cameras on the Centaur captured this stunning view of GPS IIF-11 flying free for the first time. View our entire coverage of GPS IIF-11 here.
A vapor cone develops around the front of the Atlas V rocket with GPS IIF-11 as it crosses the sound barrier. Mach 1 was achieved 75 seconds into the flight. Vapor cones are formed when a rocket (or other aircraft at transonic speeds) passes the sound barrier. Localized air pressure immediately around the vehicle drops, causing temperature to drop. If this decrease is below the dew point, vapor clouds occur. They usually are very brief and are indicative of a vehicle passing the sound barrier. The front of the rocket is travelling through the sound barrier while the aft end is not.
GPS IIF-11 launch highlights! Click here for our entire coverage of the launch.
Some beautiful shots from ULA of yesterday’s Atlas V launch with GPS IIF-11. Watch the launch highlights here.
Liftoff! Up close and personal at the #GPSIIF11 launch on a ULA #AtlasV @45thspacewing @usairforce #Launchoween #GPS #USAF #Rockets #DiscoverULA #Repost @ulalaunch
GPS IIF-11 blasts into the sky (October 31, 2015).
Liftoff of GPS-IIF-11! An Atlas V 401 rocket leapt off SLC-41 at 12:13 pm EDT carrying the penultimate GPS satellite of the IIF constellation for the U.S. Air Force. We were located 2.8 miles south of the launch pad on the ITL causeway. The roar of the RD-180 engine arrived about fifteen seconds after ignition and lasted until well after the vehicle disappeared in the afternoon sky. The GPS IIF-11 satellite will separate from the Centaur Upper Stage at 3:36 pm EDT, officially bringing today’s launch sequence to an end.
T-2 hours (10:13 am EDT) The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket with GPS IIF-11 is seen at sunset yesterday, 30 October 2015. AV-60 is scheduled to launch at 12:13 pm EDT this afternoon (31 October). Launch was originally scheduled for yesterday, but a malfunctioning water valve at SLC-41 used in the water suppression system had to be replaced, causing a 24-hour postponement of the mission. See our earlier GPS IIF-11 coverage here, including our visit to the vehicle on the pad.
